Fox is expected to announce that Randy Jackson will officially return to "American Idol" as a mentor for the contestants, E! News reports.

Jackson, who left the show as a judge back in May, will replace departing Jimmy Iovine, the music producer who has been with the show for the past three seasons. Jackson's mentoring role reportedly will be different from Iovine's. Meanwhile, E! reported earlier this week that Harry Connick Jr. is in final talks to join the judges' panel.